Stratford cops announce gang drug bust

Daniel Tepfer

Updated 10:56 pm, Wednesday, May 21, 2014

STRATFORD -- Following a nearly yearlong investigation, police said they have busted the Jawn Life drug gang that had been trafficking drugs from a house behind the Birdseye School complex.

Members of the department's narcotics and vice unit and special response team raided a two-family home on Taft Street on Tuesday night and nabbed the alleged leaders of the gang, Marcus Williams, 23; and his brother, John "Dreaded Jawn" Williams Jr., 19; Nicole Baker, 41; and Brent Baker, 53, police said.

They were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school.

Police said they seized camouflage T-shirts with the name "Jawn Life," on them, bags of marijuana and scales, plastic bags and other materials used for packaging marijuana.

Police said since March 2013 they had received information that the Jawn Life gang had been operating in the town, but the leaders of the gang had eluded them.

In March, police said they got information about the gang's hideout on Taft Street. Detectives conducting surveillance of the house saw a large number of people coming and going at all times of the day and night, police said.

During the subsequent investigation, police said they found drug-packaging materials by sifting through garbage from the house.

Police said John Williams attempted to escape during the raid, punching out a large bedroom window. However, they said a detective managed to grab Williams before he could flee.